Karl Opfermann (1891 - 1960) - photo 1

Karl Opfermann

Karl Opfermann, a German sculptor and graphic artist born in 1891 in Rødding (now Denmark), carved a niche for himself in the realms of art and culture. His initial training as an ornament creator led him to the influential circles of Hamburg and Berlin, where he honed his artistic skills under the guidance of Heinz Wedding, Fritz Heit, and Richard Luksch. Opfermann's artistic journey was deeply intertwined with notable groups like the "Hamburgische Sezession" and the "Novembergruppe" in Berlin, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the local sculptural landscape from 1919 to 1933.

Tragically, Karl Opfermann's works became a target during the "Entartete Kunst" (Degenerate Art) action in 1937 by the Nazis, leading to their removal and destruction from German museums. A significant portion of his oeuvre was further lost in a bombing in 1943, which destroyed his studio in Hamburg. Despite these challenges, Opfermann's legacy persists, with efforts to reconstruct his life and works focusing on the years before 1943, the period before the destruction wrought by the Nazis and World War II.

Karl Opfermann's artistic expression was rooted in German Expressionism, a movement born out of resistance and reaction, emphasizing emotion and individual experience. His works, spanning various mediums including wood, stone, and ceramics, reflect a profound emotional depth and a unique exploration of human form and expression.

For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Karl Opfermann's work offers a compelling glimpse into the turbulent yet artistically rich period of early 20th-century Germany. His sculptures and graphic art, held in various collections throughout Germany, including Hamburg and Flensburg, stand as a testament to his enduring impact on German Expressionism.

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Date and place of birt:28 september 1891, Røddinge, Denmark
Date and place of death:7 march 1960, Ahrensburg, Germany
Nationality:Germany, Denmark
Period of activity: XX century
Specialization:Artist, Ceramist, Portraitist, Sculptor, Wood carver
Art school / group:Hamburg Secession
Genre:Portrait sculpture, Portrait
Art style:Art Nouveau, Expressionism, German Expressionism
Technique:Wood carving
Medium:Ceramic, Clay, Wood, Stone

Creators Germany

Julius Kaesdorf (1914 - 1993)
Julius Kaesdorf
1914 - 1993
Emil von Ernst (1817 - 1905)
Emil von Ernst
1817 - 1905
Birgit Megerle (1975)
Birgit Megerle
1975
Raimund Girke (1930 - 2002)
Raimund Girke
1930 - 2002
Stephan Huber (1952)
Stephan Huber
1952
Harald Schmitz-Schmelzer (1953 - 2019)
Harald Schmitz-Schmelzer
1953 - 2019
Johann Nepomuk Ott (1804 - 1870)
Johann Nepomuk Ott
1804 - 1870
Johann Grund (1808 - 1887)
Johann Grund
1808 - 1887
Ellen Fuhr (1958 - 2017)
Ellen Fuhr
1958 - 2017
Albert Kindler (1833 - 1876)
Albert Kindler
1833 - 1876
Alfred Rasenberger (1885 - 1949)
Alfred Rasenberger
1885 - 1949
Georg Dionysius Ehret (1708 - 1770)
Georg Dionysius Ehret
1708 - 1770
Jörg Schmeisser (1942 - 2012)
Jörg Schmeisser
1942 - 2012
Arnold Rönnebeck (1885 - 1947)
Arnold Rönnebeck
1885 - 1947
Manfred Henninger (1894 - 1986)
Manfred Henninger
1894 - 1986
Ewald Wilhelm Mataré (1887 - 1965)
Ewald Wilhelm Mataré
1887 - 1965

Creators Art Nouveau

Hans Richter (1888 - 1976)
Hans Richter
1888 - 1976
Bertold Löffler (1874 - 1960)
Bertold Löffler
1874 - 1960
Turo Pedretti (1896 - 1964)
Turo Pedretti
1896 - 1964
Victor-Joseph Roux-Champion (1871 - 1953)
Victor-Joseph Roux-Champion
1871 - 1953
Helmut Federle (1944)
Helmut Federle
1944
Braulio Salazar (1917 - 2008)
Braulio Salazar
1917 - 2008
Otto Dinger (1860 - 1928)
Otto Dinger
1860 - 1928
Kurt Scheele (1905 - 1944)
Kurt Scheele
1905 - 1944
Mai-Thu Perret (1976)
Mai-Thu Perret
1976
Wilfried Reckewitz (1925 - 1991)
Wilfried Reckewitz
1925 - 1991
Dieter Stoever (1922 - 1984)
Dieter Stoever
1922 - 1984
Andreas Wachter (1951)
Andreas Wachter
1951
Ernest Herbert Whydale (1886 - 1952)
Ernest Herbert Whydale
1886 - 1952
Frank Behrens (1883 - 1945)
Frank Behrens
1883 - 1945
Charles Ephraim Burchfield (1893 - 1967)
Charles Ephraim Burchfield
1893 - 1967
Paul Augustin Aizpiri (1919 - 2016)
Paul Augustin Aizpiri
1919 - 2016
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